March 23, 2026, 7:40 a.m. ET
When people think of the 1980s Boston Celtics, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and even Dennis Johnson immediately come to mind. However, the most underappreciated piece of one of the greatest frontcourts in history, Robert Parish, flew under the radar while cementing himself as one of the most underrated and durable centers ever. A four-time champion and nine-time All-Star, he had long held the record for most games played at 1,611 games, until LeBron James surpassed that mark.
Now out with a memoir, the Hall of Famer spoke to HoopsHype exclusively in a wide-ranging conversation that touched on topics like the dynamic of the 80s Celtics team, the state of the league now, his confrontation with Michael Jordan, LeBron James‘s longevity, his role in the decision for the Celtics to move on from Coach Bill Fitch, and more.
You were at the Garden a couple of nights ago. Being back in that Celtics atmosphere, what was that experience like?
Robert Parish: It was a special moment, a feel-good moment. The appreciation, the love, and the memories. And also, I like the fact that the fans remembered that the teams of the 80s gave them a product, a team to be proud of. And not to mention for me personally, the ovation was more meaningful to me because it went from a sitting ovation to a standing ovation. So, for me, a standing ovation symbolizes respect when people stand and applaud you.
So it made it even more special and significant to me because not just some of the arena, the whole arena stood up and applauded me being back in the Boston area. So that made it extra special for me because everybody stood up and applauded as opposed to standing in their seats. They weren’t sitting. They stood up. So that symbolizes respect for me.
You’ve compared the current Celtics team to the teams you played with in the 80s. What similarities do you see from this variation to when you played with them in the 80s?
RP: Well, for me, it starts defensively. One of the reasons why the Celtics won the championship was because they played a disruptive, smuggling defense. And that reminds me of the Celtics team that I played on, because that was one of the strong suits that we had. Our defense was strong. And collectively, we played that type of defense that made it very difficult for you to get your offense going.
I always liked the philosophy that the 80s Celtics had and these current Celtics have. They take the first punch. They are the initiators, not the retaliators. They come out and establish the tone, the tempo, the look of the game. They are the aggressors. I find when you are the aggressors, you get more favorable officiating from the officials. They normally favor the dominant team.
And these current Celtics remind me of the old Celtics. And not to mention they play smart, they play hard, and they play together. And I respect that.
You also mentioned that Jayson Tatum’s injury gave the Celtics their defensive identity back? What did you mean by that?
RP: They had to start playing better defense because not only did they lose Tatum’s offensive firepower, but Tatum is one of the top defenders in this league. He does it on both ends. He’s a two-way player. And so they lost something, especially defensively.
They got enough firepower to make up for Tatum’s scoring. But defensively, I feel like they have regained their defensive identity because their defense is better. It’s better now than it was last year. But then again, because of how talented and deep they are, they didn’t have to be, in my opinion, as defensive-minded if they have to be now, because that was a significant loss losing Tatum. Oh, that was an ouch, that hurts losing that type of talent, and I like the fact that everybody stepped up collectively, and I think that’s one of the reasons why the Celtics are a big surprise to a lot of people. As a matter of fact, I think everybody’s surprised except for maybe the team and the coaching staff. I know I’m surprised.
Before this season, how did you think they would do?
RP: I thought the Celtics would be something of a 4-5 seed because for me, Tatum was such a significant loss, and I didn’t anticipate him coming back this year, to be honest. Now he’s back on the floor playing again, competing again, so I find that surprising in itself, and so I like the chances a little bit better to go deep in the playoffs, especially if Tatum continues to improve and play close to the level that he was before the injury.
I don’t expect him to be 100 percent because it’s too soon. But if he could get back to 75-80 percent of who he was before he went down with the injury, the Celtics could go deep in the playoffs, and they’re definitely going to be a problem with Tatum on the floor.
Oh, and it was already difficult anyway because of the way they are committed defensively. So with Tatum back, and then with his scoring and defending ability, the Celtics are going to be a tough out. They’re going to be a problem for whomever they meet.
You said in your book that you never had a huge ego, and you were a third option after Larry Bird and Kevin McHale. Did that ever bother you? Do you feel like that’s what it takes for a team to go from a good team to actually be in contention every year, where everyone knows their roles?
RP: I would have had a problem with it had we not been winning. The formula was not a successful formula had we been struggling. The inconsistencies and a lot of locker room in-fighting, I would not have been happy and content with my role because I didn’t have to take less. I chose to take less for my teammates, DJ [Dennis Johnson] and Danny Ainge wanted to be a more important and significant part of the team.
And so in order for that to happen, one of us – between the three of us, Larry, Kevin, and myself – somebody had to make some sacrifices. And Larry and Kevin, I knew it wasn’t going to come from them. There was no way that was happening. [Laughing] So I had the lesser of the three egos. And so, it turned out to be a good thing because we were very successful. And we didn’t have any malcontents on the team. And I think that would have created tension in the locker room had I not taken this. I don’t think we would have been as successful because we wouldn’t have been a close unit.
Were there a lot of fights and arguments in the locker room?
RP: Oh, no, no, no. Not at all. We got along. We were respectful. We were close. And I think because there was calm and peace in the locker room, it was reflected in our play on the court because we didn’t play as individuals. We played as teammates. We played together. We got it done collectively, and I think it’s one of the reasons why our teams were so successful. We played as a team, and I think it’s one of the reasons, in my opinion anyway, that Larry, Kevin, and myself are in the Hall of Fame. Not so much about our individual talents, but I think it’s more about the great teams we were a part of.
LeBron James recently passed you in all-time games played in NBA history. What are your thoughts on his longevity to be able to surpass that?
RP: The longevity, the dependability, the reliability that LeBron is currently displaying, I think it’s a testament to how he takes care of himself. You know, he takes his fitness serious, diet and fitness. That’s a philosophy that I subscribe to. Actually, I still subscribe to that philosophy. I believe in taking care of yourself.
And also, when you take care of yourself to the level that LeBron and I did, it’s less likely you’re going to sustain a significant injury. You’re definitely going to have your bumps and bruises and occasional ankle sprain or a temperamental back, but in terms of blowing out the knee, Achilles, they don’t happen as much with guys that really focus on taking care of themselves. It’s important. Matter of fact, more than important, it’s paramount that you take care of yourself. Period.
Steve Kerr and Rick Carlisle have recently said the number of games missed now is due to the speed of the game. The speed of the game has changed, even compared to just three to five years ago. Do you believe the game is much faster now and that injuries are more likely than when you played?
RP: Well, I’m going to touch on the speed part of your question first. The game is faster now because the NBA is pretty much legislated on the physicality out of the ball game. So there’s more freedom of movement. The game flows smoother and easier because you can’t put your hands on anybody. You can’t hold anybody. And I think that’s why the game is speeded up.
And not to mention guys able to move more freely because of the game that’s less physical than it used to be when I was playing. And I think that was a big difference. And also, you gotta recognize that whoever wins the championship, that’s the blueprint on how to win a championship. And that’s the way the Warriors won their championship. A free-flowing, up-tempo style of basketball. And, of course, you’ve got to give Stephen Curry credit. I think he changed, or helped change. He and Klay Thompson, how the game is played, how the NBA is played and officiated today. And I’m going to say that Stephen Curry and company revolutionized basketball. It looks the way it looks today in how basketball is played. You can put it at the feet of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson.
Do you like what the game has become now?
RP: I like it. I kind of frowned on it initially because all the big people were out on the perimeter more than I like. But then, when I took a closer look at it, I like it because the big people are still doing big man things. They’re still playing defense. They’re still rebounding. They are presenting a defensive presence. They’re running the court, transition games. So as long as the bigs are doing big-man things, I don’t have an issue with the bigs being out on the perimeter too much more than I would like them to be. But since they’re getting it done defensively, I don’t have anything to complain about.
Do you think you personally could have played and been very successful in today’s game?
RP: Oh, absolutely. It’s about scoring the basketball. And I could shoot it. No question about that. Now, I was no three-point shooter. I would never be a three-point threat. But that mid-range game, and not to mention, they couldn’t put their hands and their bodies on me like they did when I was playing. Oh, hell yeah, I’d be tearing it up. No question. Oh, that freedom of movement. Oh, my goodness.
What has it been like seeing the archetype of Victor Wembanyama? A guy who scores on three levels, who plays tremendous defense, and really just expedited the trajectory of where the Spurs are right now.
RP: Well, I would definitely say that the Spurs are ahead of schedule in terms of their development. I just would say this about Wemby… If Wemby played each game the way that he does against Oklahoma City, San Antonio is going to be a problem. Because I think it’s more to do with Chet Holmgren, as opposed to Oklahoma City being the defending champions. Chet brings out that dog in Wemby. [Laughs] I don’t know who’s the best seven-foot-plus player that gets Wemby all lathered up, but his level of intensity goes up when he meets Oklahoma City, and I think it’s more to do with Chet Holmgren as opposed to them being the champions. Personally, certain players I got a little bit more motivated to compete against and I think that one person for Wemby is Chet.
For you, who were those players that got you riled up when you played against them, and was it just because of how good they were?
RP: Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] and Moses Malone. They were good and talented. Of course, no doubt about that. Just look at that resume, but to compete against them, to measure myself against them, to be successful against them, I had to bring my A game every time because they were bringing their A game because I know they were getting motivated to compete against me and I had to bring that same energy.
Wembanyama plays like a shooting wing, like a bigger Kevin Durant offensively, where he can shoot long threes, and also get to the rim in two steps. Do you feel like he’s the composition of what the league has become with all its players?
RP: Well, I think he definitely is a reflection of how the NBA plays. He just happened to be 7-foot-3. He just happened to be on the tall side, but he certainly plays the game how the NBA is played today. He’s one of those players. He just happened to be exceptionally tall doing it. That’s the only difference I see. And of course, he’s been blessed with the talent. He can score on all three levels. So not many people can challenge his shot because he’s so long. And he shoots it good enough where he’s pretty much effective anywhere on the floor.
During the latter years of your career, you played with the Bulls. In your book, you talked about being the only one to talk back to Michael Jordan. What was that like? Was he taken aback when you first did it?
RP: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. To answer your question, his teammates didn’t challenge him. You can tell by how he looked at me, the deposition and stance that he took. There ain’t nobody that challenged Michael. Michael had unchallenged power on that team. And rightly so. He was the main man. He should have had that. But, I just let him know that he’s not the first superstar that I played with. Sh*t, Larry Bird was a superstar. I wasn’t in awe of Michael Jordan. And I told him so. Sh*t, I played with a bad motherf*cker. Shit, Larry’s one of the all-time greats. So why am I going to be in awe of Michael Jordan, may I ask?
Let me give you a little context, how all that came about. The challenge, we scrimmage every day, when I was with the Bulls, same as when I was with the Celtics. So first, I was playing with the first team with Michael, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman. And then Phil Jackson put me with the second unit and put Luc Longley back on the first unit. So we beat them four straight games. And so after the scrimmage was over, I asked Michael how did he like that ass whooping. So he took offense to that. [Laughing]
His teammates didn’t talk to him like that so, he took offense to it. He told me that he was gonna kick my ass and all that. I told him if you feel so strongly about it, you can come and get some. So after a little exchange that he and I had, we were cool, you know mutual respect for one another you never say another negative word to each other. It was all good.
Did that change the dynamic with how the rest of the team talk to him?
RP: Oh, hell no! They didn’t have the nuts to do that. I was the only one who had the nuts to talk back to him to challenge him. Like I said earlier, I played with one of the all-time greats. Larry Bird is one of the best of the best. He set the deck table so I was not in awe of Michael Jordan. Hell no. I rolled with a player like that and not to mention we were successful too. I was a three-time champion when I joined the Bulls.
In comparison with the Celtics and Bulls, how was the dynamic different in the locker room and chemistry around the teams?
RP: Well, no different. They mirrored us. No different. Starting with the coaching. Phil was an excellent coach for that team. KC Jones was an excellent coach for us. They both had people skills. They both were good and excellent and old. They both had respect from the team. You can tell when the team has respect for the coach because they play hard on both ends every night. So, you can tell when coaches don’t have the respect of the players. They do what they want to do. Walk off the floor, and don’t look at the coaches. they look away, they don’t make eye contact with the coaches. That’s a lack of respect. The player dapping it up with the coach, the head coach, whether they playing well or playing bad, they dapping up the coach. That’s respect.
Boston is diverse, but it’s been well-documented that there is racism and stuff there. You played there for a while, and I know you grew up in high school where it was mostly white. Did you feel that when you were in Boston with the discrimination or tension?
RP: No, not at all. I can honestly say that the deception was worse than the reality. I was in the Boston area for 19 years and I never experienced any racism and prejudice directed at me.
Oh, it’s certainly here now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that Boston is devoid of racism. It’s here. I just didn’t experience it. I have gotten nothing but respect and love from the city of Boston. But that don’t mean that racism is not here. It’s certainly here. Matter of fact, it’s in every city.
But that being said, Boston has come a long ways because I will admit, when I first got traded to Boston, it’s when the first thing crossed my mind. That Boston is a racist, segregated city. And it’s just the opposite.
When looking back at your entire NBA career, what was your most memorable experience, outside of winning all those rings with the Celtics?
RP: Oh, for me, it was my teammates. That’s the one thing that – other than the money – that I miss about those 80s teams, my teammates, the camaraderie, how cool we were with each other. Especially when you think about the size of the egos in that locker room, oh my goodness!
For us to all get along, to coexist, to respect one another, to play together. We’ve never played as individuals. We always played as a team that speaks volumes about our character.
Who do you feel is the best player of all time?
RP: Nobody. Nobody. You can’t say that any player is better than. I don’t know how many players that have come through the NBA. I don’t know what that number is. But I think that is an injustice and it’s criminal, an assessment of everybody else. Because there’s some really, really great ball players that have come through the NBA.
You think about that table where the best of the best sits. You cannot single out one player that’s better than everybody else sitting at that table, the best of the best. They all are the best of the best. I don’t subscribe to that philosophy about the GOAT, the greatest of all time. That’s bullsh*t, in my opinion.
Nobody is better than everybody else that ever played in the NBA. Now, you might be the best player in your era. I agree with that. But the best player to ever walk on the NBA basketball court? That’s blasphemy, in my opinion.
As a defensive player, who would you say would be your counterpart in this era in terms of just how dominant they are on that end?
RP: That’s a good question. I would say Chet and Wemby have the potential. And I say that potentially because they’re so damn little and slight. But they certainly have the ability to be that dominant defensive force. Certainly got the potential, I just don’t know whether they can sustain it because the NBA is hard on the body. And like I said, they’re so skinny. I don’t know whether they can sustain a defensive dominance long enough to be considered an all-time great defensive ball player, to be honest. Because there’s a lot of wear and tear. And then they’re getting it done offensively, too. It’s hard on the body, and I don’t think they weigh much over 200 pounds. They are slight.
You were pretty reserved for most of your playing career, and now you have written a book. What changed?
RP: I changed. I think I’m a better person now. I think I’m a little softer, more accessible than I were say five years ago. So, I’m saying I made improvements in my character in who and what I am. And so had I not changed it, it would not have been a shift or transformation; there would have been no way I would have done a memoir because I wouldn’t open up myself personally. It just would have been all about athletics. In order to do any book any justice, you got to open up personally probably. That’s my opinion anyway.
Why do you think you were so reserved in your life?
RP: Well, I got those tendencies for my pops. My pops wasn’t much of a people person. You know, he kept people at a distance. He came across as being distant and dismissive. And I have those tendencies also. So, I don’t know whether it’s genetics, or learned behavior, or whatever it is. I had it. And the genesis of it, my pops went the same way, so that’s where it came from.
Were you kind of the guy in the locker room who was quiet, but then when you spoke out, everyone just stopped talking and listened?
RP: They did because I didn’t talk much. So you onto something there. [Laughing] I didn’t talk much. I’m not even gonna lie about that. So when I was talking, you know, people looked around, “Oh, sh*t, Chief got something to say.” So normally I just sit back and listen. I didn’t do a lot of talking.
In that instance, what would you say was the most memorable moment where you said something and then that completely changed how the team acted that season?
RP: We were having a round table discussion about whether we wanted Bill Fitch to continue to be our coach. So everybody was giving their opinion. And I, as usual, wasn’t saying anything. I was listening. And then when everybody finished giving their assessment of whether Coach Fitch should remain the coach or not, I said, it’s time for him to go. And everybody turned around and looked like, ‘Oh, sh*t. Chief got an opinion!’ When I said that it was time for him to go, I think that was the deciding voice. It was time for Coach Fitch to no longer be the coach. It was time for a coaching change.